Ari Gold (born 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor and musician. His short film Helicopter was about the aftermath of his mother Melissa Dilworth Gold's 1991 death. His feature debut Adventures of Power premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and made its European debut at the 2008 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Early life and education Ari Gold was born in San Francisco, California in 1970.Helicopter – Biography film director. In: torinofilmfest.org, access date 16 February 2021. He is the son of American novelist Herbert Gold and Melissa Gold (née Dilworth). His twin brother is musician Ethan Gold, and he has a sister Nina Gold.Susan Cohen: Meet Ari Gold, the Director from San Francisco Making His Own Path. In: kqed.org, 25 January 2017. He also has two half-sisters from his father's first marriage. His mother, Melissa Dilworth, is the daughter of J. Richardson Dilworth, a longtime financial advisor of the Rockefeller family.
He attended New York University (NYU) to study film, and Columbia University, graduating in 1992.
Career Culture (1999), which Gold directed and starred in, is a 60-second short film, shot entirely in one take with no rehearsal. Gold followed a set of self-imposed rules while making the film, including "only black, white, & primary colors may be used" and "the camera must not move." Culture premiered in the United States at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, and Reel.com called it "the best sixty seconds of film" at that festival.
Helicopter (2001, copyrighted 2000) is a short film dealing with the aftermath of the death of his mother Melissa in the 1991 Vallejo helicopter crash that also took the life of rock impresario Bill Graham and pilot Steve Kahn. An experimental narrative combining animated sequences and live action, the film was awarded gold in 2000 the Student Academy Awards competition for film students (not to be confused with the official Academy Awards). Gold won High Times Magazine's "Stoner of the Year" award (2001).
Adventures of Power (2008) was written and directed by Gold, and is a cult comedy about a mine worker (played by Gold) who discovers an underground subculture of air-drummers who have the power to change the world.
In 2017, Gold co-wrote and directed the ultra low-budget film The Song of Sway Lake.
Gold produced, directed, and acted in 2025 film Brother Verses Brother. The film was first released at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival.
Filmography
Feature films YearFilmCredited asDirectorProducerWriterActor2018The Song of Sway Lake 2018 Los Angeles Overnight Yes2016Azure Yes2011FRED Learns to Airdrum with Power Yes2011Lucas Gets Kidnapped! Yes2011Another Earth Yes2008Cyndi Lauper: Into the Nightlife Yes2008Adventures of Power 2007Revolution Summer Yes2005The F Word Yes2004Invitation to a Suicide Yes2002Unforeseen Yes2002On_Line Yes2001Plead Yes2001 Helicopter 2001Eight Yes2001Who Is A.B.? Yes2000Groove Yes1999 Culture 1997All Over Me Yes1996 Frog Crossing 1995 Nonstop Pyramid Action 2025 Brother Verses Brother
Short films Year Film Credited as Director Producer Writer Actor 1995 Nonstop Pyramid Action 1996 Frog Crossing 1999 Culture 2001 Helicopter 2011 Lucas Gets Kidnapped!
Music Gold is an occasional member of two comedic music projects with The Brothers Gold, with his brother Ethan Gold on guitar; Ari sings and plays ukulele.
Gold sings in the new wave folk band, The Honey Brothers. The Honey Brothers started small in 2001, a few college friends singing for people on the street corners of New York. Since then, they have released two studio albums, one live album, and made a guest appearance on the TV show, 90210. The other core members of The Honey Brothers are Andrew Vladeck, Daniel Posner, and Adrian Grenier. Ethan Gold is a former member of the band; in 2010 he was replaced by Dan Green.
References
External links Official site
The Honey Brothers The Gold Brothers